UNIVERSITY OF LIMERICK CHOOSES VARIO FANS FOR HEALTHY CLASSROOMS AND LECTURE THEATRES

ATC Electrical and Mechanical our Irish Partners and exclusive distributor in Ireland, in conjunction with a local electrical wholesaler and contractor, has recently supplied the Vario range of mechanical fans by VORTICE to the University of Limerick, in order to prepare for a return of students to the classroom.  The Vario mechanical ventilation fans were installed in the windows of classrooms and lecture halls to maximise the intake of fresh air and guard against rising levels of CO2. 

Vario fans were chosen after extensive research and they were colour coded to match the exact RAL colour of the external windows and frames to blend in seamlessly with the external façade.  Easy to install, Vario has low noise levels so was the ideal solution for a classroom situation where noise interruption causes problems.  The fans are operated by CO2 sensors within the lecture halls so that the required air changes occur when needed and adequate ventilation is provided for occupants.

The University of Limerick was keen to improve the air quality within its buildings and to keep staff and students as safe as possible.  Research has shown that the wrong temperatures, humidity, air pollution and CO2, can all impair learning. High rates of carbon dioxide are also known to cause drowsiness, loss of concentration and headaches, so for students at the University of Limerick the Vario fans will play an important part in providing a healthy learning experience.

For more information click here: https://www.vortice.ltd.uk/product-category/commercial-ventilation/vario/

Returning to the public washroom

Do you feel safe in public washrooms post-pandemic?

VORTICE believes one of the main factors in reducing the spread of COVID-19 is sanitisation. The main element in reducing the spread of COVID-19 in public washrooms is by means of using antibacterial gel, soap dispensers and hand dryers. During the pandemic many reports and analyses have been completed on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 and there are two key findings:

The first is how important it is to wash your hands. Results have shown that nearly 95% of adults did not wash long enough to thoroughly clean bacteria and viruses from their hands. (See related article here: Proper Handwashing — and Drying — Is the No. 1 Way to Prevent Spread of Contagious Disease!)

The second is the importance of ensuring the hands are dried correctly. Studies have suggested that on average people have spent 22.5 seconds drying their hands and 45% of people have simply dried their hands on clothing to finish drying! (This is how many germs are lurking in YOUR bathroom, and you’ll be horrified at the dirtiest spot)

The World Health Organisation says:

To protect yourself against the new coronavirus, you should frequently clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water. Once your hands are cleaned, you should dry them thoroughly by using paper towels or a warm air hand dryer. 

VORTICE understands the importance of hygiene in the public washroom and offers the following products:

The S+G soap dispenser which allows the user to adjust the specified amount of soap and gel thus allowing no touching of the unit. There is also the VORT Super Dry which includes a UV germicidal lamp which not only dries but also sanitises the hands to ensure maximum hygiene and safety for the user.

The new UVLOGIKA environmental sanitiser lamp effectively disinfects surfaces.

Tests have shown that in just 8 minutes of exposure, 99% of bacteria and viruses tested and present on a surface located 2 metres from the lamp were eliminated (COVID-19).

The main element we can take from the mass of findings relating to COVID-19 is that many public washrooms are probably safer now than in pre pandemic days. Washing your hands and drying hands is paramount to stop the spread (NHS have detailed information on how to wash hands effectively – see here https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/best-way-to-wash-your-hands/) however having the correct product range within the public washroom is also fundamental.

The VORTICE air solutions brochure can be found here Air Solutions Brochure 

VORTICE HELPS IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AT CLEVELAND ROAD SITE IN WOLVERHAMPTON

Ventilation manufacturer VORTICE is delighted to be working alongside GA Nicholas and contractor E Plan Energy on the Cleveland Road, Wolverhampton site installing a range of continuous mechanical extract and heat recovery units. Situated opposite the iconic Royal Hospital building on the former bus depot,  the site comprises of 74 apartments and 18 houses and is part funded by Homes England.

Project Development Manager Ken Johnson said:

“We are delighted to be working alongside GA Nicholas on this site in Wolverhampton. We have specified our compact Vort HR 200 BP heat recovery units and the Vort Leto MEV continuous extract unit.  Good clean air is paramount especially in today’s world which is why not only did we specify continuous ventilation, but we also specified NOX filters to further filter polluted air entering the property through the system.”

The units create a constant air path by continuously extracting at a trickle rate from the wet rooms and boosting when needed. The range of heat recovery units go a stage further and not only extract, but temper the warmth from the air back into the living rooms and bedrooms.  

The BD Range of Low Pressure Centrifugal Fans

BD Series of low pressure centrifugal fans

The forward curved double inlet centrifugal fans are commonly known in the industry as “Inch Blowers” as the impeller is nominally dimensioned by diameter and length: (E.g. the BD- 10/08 has a nominal 10 inch diameter and 8 inch long impeller)

The BD series of forward curved centrifugal fans construction is of a galvanised steel scroll with the impeller in sizes 7/7, 9/9,10/10 and 12/12 and each is produced from Polyamide reinforced with glass fibre with larger sizes in galvanised steel.

The fan/motor are rated to IP55 protection for dust and water ingress. Incorporated into the fan construction are anti-vibration pads which are used on the motor and on the arms to the side plate of the scroll to avoid any vibration and to enable full compliance with “ROHS regulations 2002/95/EC (Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment) .

As standard the BD Fan range is speed controllable by voltage variation, and our REGA range of speed controllers is available on request. Outlet flanges are also available if required.

Product Range

The range is produced in AC voltages, (single phase in 7/7, to 10/10 size, the 12/9 and 12/12 is available in single and 3 phase finally the BD15/15 is 3 phase only) temperature rated to 50C for the single-phase fans and 60C for the 3 phase options.

There is also a range of electronically commuted (EC) BD products called the BD EEC range. This range can run above synchronous speed, dependent on the model at up to 2000rpm to provide higher pressure and airflow for a given size AC equivalent. Speed controllable by either 0-10V DC or PWM (Pulse Width Modification) they also provide an energy efficient solution.

Applications

The BD fan series is used in diverse settings including:

  • Attenuated cabinet fans
  • Air handling units
  • Kitchen ventilation
  • Warm air heaters
  • Special effects for film, television and market
  • Inflatable products and buildings

The range is now available to purchase online here.

We would be happy to work alongside you for specific applications and to work together to produce a fan to the requirements of the installation. Should you want to know more about the ranges of industrial fans we offer, please download our product catalogue or email .

How to stop the spread of Covid-19 in schools

How to stop the spread of Covid-19 in schools

Keeping our children safe at school is uppermost in the minds of parents, teachers and education leaders – never before have good ventilation and touch free hygiene products been so high on the agenda.

VORTICE believes that there are three fundamental factors to improve the air quality and help to stop the spread of COVID-19 in schools – Ventilation, Purification and Sanitisation which is further backed up by the Government’s recent video showing the importance of ventilation.

It is important to note that not all classrooms have windows that open or it’s not appropriate in the winter to open windows, so ventilation is paramount. VORTICE has a specialised set of ventilation products including single room heat recovery units, supply and extract fans and commercial AHU’s for larger projects to ensure a constant fresh air supply into the classroom.

For schools that are not in a position to build new classrooms from scratch, air purification units are the answer.

VORTICE offers systems like the DEPURO PRO range of air purifiers that retain up to 99.995% of polluting micro particles, which are potential carriers of viruses and bacteria. Models include a version equipped with the technology and tested to effectively kill COVID-19. The EVO models include a photocatalysis UV-C lamp which sanitises the product by removing pollutants, strong odours and micro-organisms.

The VORT SUPER DRY Range is comprised of automatic electric hand dryers with a UV germicidal lamp. The units dry and sanitise the hands without the need to touch anything, ensuring maximum hygiene and safety for the user. The S+G dispensers are automatic non-touch electric dispensers which use soap or antibacterial disinfectant gel.

A hot topic in schools and nurseries is sanitisation, which is crucial for good hygiene. Vortice offers an array of products for the education environment to effectively sanitise and retain a hygienic atmosphere where hand washing takes place.

The UVLOGIKA SYSTEM is a germicidal UV-C lamp, ideal for sanitising and disinfecting surfaces. Its radiation quickly eliminates up to 99% of bacteria, viruses and other pathogens that are deposited on surfaces and is particularly useful in classroom environments.

For more information on all these products download a copy of our Air Solutions Brochure which is dedicated to the school environment

Ensuring good air quality is key to our future

Ensuring good air quality is key to our future

Not sure you can remember a world pre-Covid? One thing is certain. It is imperative that we look at our indoor environment and ensure it is as clean and free from bacteria and pollutants as possible.

We spend more than 90% of our time indoors and unless we take steps to ventilate our homes and workplaces correctly, the quality of the air we breathe can be 50 times more polluted than outdoor air, with all the associated health risks. Why is that? We only need to contemplate the number of cleaning products, hair sprays, paints, air fresheners and new furniture and carpets that we bring into our home to realise what we’re feeding our indoor air quality with. The presence of condensation and mould can also have an adverse effect on skin allergies and respiratory conditions.

And now with the arrival of COVID-19 parallels are not only being drawn between being indoors and a high transmission rate but also between air pollution and the increase in the R value of COVID-19 due to the effects of air pollution on respiratory conditions. Evidence is suggesting that people living in polluted cities are more at risk.

“The pandemic has not in any way reduced the urgency of tackling the multiple environmental crises that we were already facing – if anything, it has shown that we need to step up the pace and put the green transition at the heart of the recovery process. It has shown that we can and must do things differently,” emphasised the EEB’s Secretary General Jeremy Wates.

Ventilation is a key aspect in the green transition at the heart of this recovery process. Poor ventilation in confined indoor spaces is associated with increased transmission of respiratory infections (Evidence from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ECDPC).

Before there was any talk of COVID-19 A report was carried out by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and the Royal College of Physicians on the health impact of indoor air quality on children and young people. The report explains that there is growing evidence that respiratory problems among children may be exacerbated by indoor air pollution in homes, schools and nurseries.

Now with the pandemic very much in the spotlight, research from the ECDPC states that ‘HVAC systems may have a complementary role in decreasing transmission in indoor spaces by increasing the rate of air change, decreasing re circulation of air and increasing the use of outdoor air.

VORTICE LIMITED has a wide range of MVHR systems in the product portfolio which continuously remove the stale air from wet rooms and supply constant fresh air at a low rate via a filtration system which ensures a clean indoor environment, with no need for further background ventilators via a filtration system which ensures a clean indoor environment

We also offer the new Depuro Pro air purifiers which includes HEPA Filters (filters which have been discussed in the ECDPC document) which are capable of retaining 99.995% of micro particles including viruses bacteria and pollens. These units would suit many applications such as retail, hospitals and care homes.

What is apparent is that while VORTICE LIMITED has been discussing the importance of indoor air quality for years, the arrival of Covid-19 has brought this to the forefront of people’s minds. We have to work together to ensure we are thinking about how we can use ventilation to improve indoor environment.

Do you know what effect air quality has on your children?

Do you know what effect air quality has on your children?

“Even before a child is born they are at risk of developing serious health issues due to poor indoor air quality. This can lead to lung development issues, premature births and respiratory issues when born.”

After your child is born the effects can be even more harmful. Studies show that children are more vulnerable to breathing in polluted air than adults. For their size, they breathe more air each minute than an adult. Buggies and prams put them at the level of car exhausts and can be exposed to up to 60% more pollution than adults, a study suggests.

If your child breathes high levels of air pollution over a long period, they might be at risk of:

  • their lungs not working as well as they grow older
  • developing asthma during childhood or as an adult – and if they have asthma already, air pollution can make it worse
  • wheezing
  • coughs
  • lung cancer when they’re older
  • infections like pneumonia

Air pollution can be very worrying as there’s only so much we can do about it ourselves. But if your child is healthy, the effects of air pollution are likely to be quite small. The best thing you can do is make sure your child has reduced levels of exposure to both outdoor and indoor pollution.

There are ways to reduce the exposure for you and your children by doing the following things:

  • Keep your home well ventilated
  • Check for condensation hot spots in the home
  • Keep your home at a maintained comfortable temperature

“We have always set real focus on educating customers, including house builders, on the effects of poor ventilation, especially if the systems have not been installed correctly and are delighted to get behind DEFRA’s clean air strategy consultation.”

This new draft outlines very simply that: “Air pollution is the top environmental risk to human health in the UK, and the fourth greatest threat to public health after cancer.”

So how can Vortice help?

Marketing Manager Jennifer Quinn comments: “Centralised mechanical ventilation and heat recovery systems have a huge part to play. The Vort Leto centralised mechanical extract fan by Vortice is a proven success story. The unit is PCDB listed and is suitable for use with a kitchen and up to five wet rooms. This whole house continuous MEV fan complies with ADF system 3 and can be positioned in any orientation. It has a boost facility to increase airflow when occupants are cooking or bathing and once properly commissioned by fan speed and room duct valve adjustment, it can make a big difference to indoor air quality.”

With thanks to www.defra.gov.uk and www.myhealthmyhome.com and www.bbcnews.co.uk

How clean is the air that you breathe?

How clean is the air that you breathe?

We spend more than 90% of our time indoors and unless we take steps to ventilate our homes and workplaces correctly, the quality of the air we breathe can be 50 x more polluted than outdoor air, with all the associated health risks.

Why is that? We only need to contemplate the number of cleaning products, hair sprays, paints, air fresheners and new furniture and carpets that we bring into our home to realise what we’re feeding our indoor air quality with. The presence of condensation and mould can also worsen skin allergies and respiratory conditions. Today’s new builds tend to be extremely airtight, which has its benefits in terms of heating bills, but doesn’t have the benefits of fresh air coming into the home.

To keep our homes healthy and avoid symptoms like dizziness, watery eyes, fatigue, headaches and coughing which can be caused by poor air quality, we need to take action. Ideally, an airtight home should be matched with a mechanical ventilation system which removes moist and stale air Although opening your windows regularly helps to ensure air movement, the moment those windows are closed, the air quality deteriorates very quickly, particularly if you are cooking, taking a shower or spraying aerosols.

A continuous mechanical extract system from Vortice can cost less than £5 a year to run and is well worth the investment. Another option, particularly useful for new build properties is a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery. That does exactly what it says on the tin, it introduces fresh air into the property whilst recovering heat from the stale air that it is extracting and re-uses that heat by passing the fresh air over a heat exchanger.

A continuous mechanical extract system from Vortice can cost less than £5 a year to run and is well worth the investment. Another option, particularly useful for new build properties is a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery. That does exactly what it says on the tin, it introduces fresh air into the property whilst recovering heat from the stale air that it is extracting and re-uses that heat by passing the fresh air over a heat exchanger.

Vortice knows only too well the importance of this and has made it its mission over the years to be a voice within the industry ensuring customers get a correct and compliant ventilation system by offering a complete design, aftersales and training service.

The DEFRA consultation also discusses how occupant behaviour can affect the ventilation requirements of a home. Vortice has listened to housebuilders and specifiers and works hard to provide a range of ventilation solutions for many different applications to improve indoor air quality in airtight dwellings.

Vortice welcomes this new Government strategy as this will underscore what we have been talking about for years. It is important for us as a ventilation manufacturer always to offer a compliant solution suitable for the end application and to provide education to the installer and end user. We find lack of education is the key issue here so it is great to see this consultation highlighting the risks of bad ventilation and what damage this can have on the occupant’s health.

Vortice has also promoted good practice during Green Great Britain Week, which began on 15 October 2018 and was designed to engage the public in the debate on air quality alongside climate change and highlight the economic opportunities it offers for the UK.

With thanks to www.defra.gov.uk and www.myhealthmyhome.